The Florida State Seminoles are less than a week away from the start of spring practice.
The Seminoles had their most successful season in a decade, going 12-0 in the regular season, defeating the Louisville Cardinals in the ACC Championship, and making it to the Orange Bowl (albeit highly controversial). FSU is currently set to undergo a major roster overhaul with more than 20 players listed in the two-deep set to depart.
In this series, we will review departing players at each position, additions, and potential candidates for a second consecutive spring title. Today we will look at safety.
safety
Main starting point:
Hakeem Dent (NFL Draft)
Main additions:
Davonte Brown (Miami Hurricanes)
Spring depth:
Davonte Brown, redshirt senior
Kevin Knowles, Sr.
Shyheim Brown, redshirt junior
Conrad Hussey, sophomore
Ashlind Barker, redshirt sophomore
KJ Kirkland, redshirt freshman
Spring depth chart description:
Nor through and through: It was really great to see Hakeem Dent finally reach his potential last season. He's better late than never! Shai Brown appears to be the frontrunner for one spot, while Davonte Brown and Conrad Hussey will compete for the other spot. If he can take the next step, I'd like to see Hussey agree to it. The wild card here is KJ Kirkland, who has been impressive in his short time in Tallahassee. He could find himself stealing reps from Davonte Brown and Kevin Knowles. I expect at least one transfer from this group after the spring, but if he doesn't start, Knowles will most likely be transferred.
Tim: Miami fans were unhappy with Davonte Brown's play last season, but the Seminoles appear to be desperate for his experience. His presence and veteran leadership will be a huge boost for this room. Shai Brown is a returning starter, so it's easy for him to earn the “back” position here. I'd like to see Hussey make the leap and claim another spot, but he'll have to battle Davonte Brown and possibly Kevin Knowles. David notes that Kirkland was a hot topic in camp last year, but injuries halted his development, so he could be a surprise here.
Jordan Silversmith: When talking about safety, the conversation begins and ends with Shyheim Brown. He should be a leader on defense, if not all players, and rarely leave the field when FSU doesn't have the ball (in non-garbage time). During his Tour of Duty, he was very vocal and gave 100% throughout his training. His expectations for the number one are clear and he has lived up to his expectations so far. Conrad Hussey is the next candidate for vice president. The sophomore looks to see a big jump in playing time this season as he has great physical and mental tools. Davonte Brown will get away with it, but I expect him to be more of a Swiss Army knife than a pure safety due to his coverage skills. As they said, Kirkland could be a negative factor. He was battling injuries last year, but when I went to Tour of Duty workouts, he got his energy back. In addition to Kirkland, it will be interesting to see if any of the rookie defensive backs are converted to safeties. With the loss of four talented corners and KJ Bolden, Patrick Surtain and staff must begin developing a successor. If a freshman wants a chance to play early, understanding the safe spots could be the key to seeing the field.
Frank Denor: Based on his performance last season and what he's done so far this offseason, it's a safe bet that Shyheim Brown will start at safety. Brown started all 14 games last season and is the most experienced in this position group. According to reports, Brown was one of the most vocal players on tour. I wouldn't be surprised if he is named one of the team captains and if he continues to develop, he will probably earn postseason honors as one of the best players in the country. Ashlind Barker will most likely be next on the line when Scheiheim comes to bat.
Free safety is not so cut and dry. Conrad Hussey and Davonte Brown will battle in the spring, and I think Brown will be the starter, but Hussey has also gotten plenty of snaps during the season.
KJ Kirkland is one of this spring's wild cards and a player that many people are paying attention to. He is 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 200 pounds. Kirkland has a good frame for the safe position. The highly touted rookie gained experience by appearing in five games last season, but could have redshirted to maintain a year of eligibility.
Perry Kostidakis: To paraphrase Jordan here, it's amazing how important a role Shyheim Brown is to Florida State's defense. Not just because he's a relative diamond in the rough as a three-star player at Lake City University, but because he's done everything he can to make an impact starting at LSU in 2022. Now, it has come to full fruition and he has emerged as one of the elder statesmen who can not just carry the team, but set the tone for the team.
Seeing how Conrad Hussey shined as a freshman, I'm leaning toward him getting the majority of reps heading into spring training. But if there's a spot on the roster where you can expect an OR designation, my money is on it. Will it be one of those two with Hussey and Davonte Brown and Kevin Knowles, or (heh) will he take the step KJ Kirkland has been building on?
